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This was absolutely delicious! I used roasted red bell peppers instead of tomatoes, spinach instead of kale, and grilled it on a grill pan on the stove. I love how versatile this recipe is! Such a great way to eat more veggies.
Lisa
This is straight up veggie ā„.
There are so many things happening right now that are just making me cray-zie.
I have the excited jitters and I haven’t even had any coffee today. Except the two cups from this morning, swirled with that dreamy heavy whipping cream to help me perk up when I excitedly woke up sans alarm at 5am.
I’m a liar. I don’t wake up at 5am naturally, ever. But this morning I was in that can’t-sleep-mode because of some exciting life stuff and also, the exciting memory of this massive pile of veggies that became the most delicious veggie panini a few days ago.
Exciting things. Go.
School.
As in elementary school. Where I’m a teacher.
School started and it’s so so so ridiculously fun to be back. This morning I helped the world’s cutest Kindergartners find their classrooms. They had monster truck backpacks hanging halfway down their legs, brightly colored eyeglasses resting too low on their noses, and little white paper tags around their necks with their names, classrooms, and a colored dot that means… something important, I think. It’s just adorable like you wouldn’t believe.
Also noteworthy – today a student spontaneously rapped a The Foot Book by Dr. Suess for me, by memory. Try not to smile the next time that happens to you. I dare you.
Vacations.
Between work, friends, and family, I have like 452 trips on the calendar within the next 9 months, which feels overwhelming and thrilling all at the same time. First, Bjork and I are going to Washington TWICE this fall for blogger type things and I am already thinking a) what I’m going to eat, and b) whether or not it’s okay to wear my typical blogger uniform of yoga pants and a hoodie at events like this. Also this fall –> a road trip to Glacier National Park with our hilarious friends and their baby boy. Expect pictures.
My sisters and my mom and I are planning to visit Washington DC (the other one) this winter. Girls trip! We are going to visit the sites, specifically the Holocaust museum. I have a feeling it’s going to be both meaningful and fun, and I am pump-ed-up.
Last one: My family is planning a big trip to North Carolina which is secretly my dream vacation location thanks to Nicholas Sparks. Somehow in my mind this vacation is actually just me, standing in a field with tall grass next to the ocean, with the wind whipping my hair and swirling my skirt, looking hopelessly romantic. Right?
House – Fingers Crossed
I saved the best for almost last. We put an offer in on a house today. A REAL LIVE HOUSE!
{excited dance}
Considering our recent house heartbreak, I’m nervous to tell you more about this house for fear that something won’t work out, but just know this: I am giddy from my ears to my toes and I will most likely be blasting you with pictures if this thing becomes real life.
This Panini
This Avocado Veggie Panini. It’s completely overloaded with the most delicious sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, and kale, plus it has a little cheese (optional) (not), and smashed avocado. Please please please let me eat this for lunch for the rest of the year. Would it be worth bringing the panini press to work? Thinking about it.
Avocado Veggie Panini
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This avocado veggie panini is stuffed with lots of sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, and kale, and smeared with avocado. So yummy!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 minced shallot (onion or garlic works too)
- 8 ounces sliced baby portobello mushrooms
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped kale, stems removed
- salt to taste
- 2 avocados
- 8 pieces thick, sturdy wheat bread
- melty white cheese like Provolone or Mozzarella, if you want
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots; saute until translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned lightly on the outside. Add the tomatoes and kale; saute until wilted and warmed through. Remove from heat and season with salt.
- Mash the avocado in a bowl with a fork. Spread some avocado on the surface of each piece of bread. Assemble the sandwiches by carefully arranging the vegetables on the bread. Get as many veggies on as you can because the sandwiches sink down when you use the panini press.
- Add the cheese on top of the veggies if you want, cover with another slice of bread, and place on a preheated panini press. When the bread is browned on the outside, remove from heat. If you did not cut the tomatoes, be careful as they might burst when you bite into them and they will be hot! š
Notes
The tomatoes were a little tricky to keep in the sandwiches because I left them whole, but I liked how they’d burst in your mouth. For easier assembly, just slice or chop the tomatoes beforehand.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: panini recipe, veggie sandwich, vegetarian panini
Have a great weekend because weekends RULE.
Hey!!! This looks so good! Just one question though! Is the serving size per sandwich or for two sandwiches? š
The serving size is for 1 sandwich.
I am in charge of a Cookie Exchange at work. Being mindful of Covid19 and social distancing, folks will simply come through and pick up their cookies and leave. I thought š t would be nice to personally provide everyone with a bagged lunch. I love your vegetarian Panini recipe. Can this be prepared in advance, and served cold? Will it still taste good cold? Thanks and advance for your feedback, I really appreciate it.
How thoughtful of you, Jay! We have no doubt that these would taste good if served cold, but we think paninis are best served fresh off the press when the bread is perfectly toasted and the cheese is melted and gooey. We fear the bread would become a bit hard/chewy and the cheese a bit solidified if chilled. But if there’s a way to reheat the sandwiches, then I think it would be a great idea!
This was absolutely delicious! I used roasted red bell peppers instead of tomatoes, spinach instead of kale, and grilled it on a grill pan on the stove. I love how versatile this recipe is! Such a great way to eat more veggies.
Nice recipe. If you’re a teacher you should know it’s spelled Seuss.
Looks awesome! Can’t wait till I taste it.
So nice!!!!!!!!!
I love this avocado veggie panini and I plan to prepare it for my kids. I think they will love it too.
The avocado veggie panini looks great, making me want to try it for my lunch. And all the food materials are so healthy.
Mmmm, I just ate this sandwich for brunch and it was AMAZING!!!! I had pre-washed baby kale on hand and all so I really lucked out…either that or we just love the same flavors. Saw the picture from here on pinterest and knew it was destined to be my new favorite san. Though mine wasn’t as pretty as your picture! –I did squeeze a bit of lemon and pressed garlic into the mashed avo, but otherwise just made it as written which is rare for me. I’m new to this blog, so I look forward to finding more good stuff here in the future.
Have fun on your trips! My mom grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and we had some delightful times as kids visiting her sister’s family who lived on one of the Puget Sound islands in WA. Also, my sister spent 20years living in TN about an hour from the North Carolina border, we were there a few years ago hiking in the Smokies, which are unspeakably gorgeous. For a final coincidence, while I’ve lived my whole life in New England, in my 20s I nearly married a guy I met in southern MN and moved out there! Long ago now. Ha. Funny juxtapositions here. All gorgeous places. I look forward to photos! And more yummy food. Love the blog!
Thanks for all the info Toni!
Not trying to burst anyone’s bubble but Nicholas Sparks is a jerk. We live in New Bern and know a lot about who he really is….
Thank you for the awesome recipe, I tried this past weekend and my family members were my guinea pigs! hehe! They loved it! since I didnt have kale I used lettuce instead, and it still turned out good! thank you again!!
Exciting!! We are closing on our first house next week. In total it has been 44 anxious days. Best of luck!
Oh my word. That seems like a long time!
We’re getting ready to go to Washington state in a couple weeks too! Not for anything blogging related. But we are planning out restaurants three weeks in advance. š That’s cool that you’re also going to Glacier… it is on my husband’s bucket list to hike Glacier Pass… someday!
Fun! We need to do some restaurant research…
There’s something so exciting about this any flavorful vegetables smashed between chewy bread (and cheese!). If this counts for anything, I vote you take your panini press with you to school. I might just do the same (even if I am a student).
Aww! So much fun stuff all around! Glacier and Washington are gorgeous – you’re going to love them. That’s my childhood stomping grounds right there. . . . And totally unrelated – have you seen the movie Epic? We watched it last night and MK is you. If you were ever made into animation I think you would look exactly like her. And you know what her outfit is for 90% of the movie? A hoodie. . . .
Ok, now I have to see it. š
Mouthwatering panini! I’m so much into this kind of recipes: easy, tasty and healthy!
I {heart} veggie sandwiches. The fact that it is grilled is like +5 points. I need to make this ASAP!
Glad you have some fun things happening! It makes life more fun to have things to look forward to!
Can’t say I haven’t though (and probably said aloud, more than once) – someone needs to involve a purse-sized portable panini maker. Just listen to that alliteration. It’s selling itself.
Also. first-week kindergarteners are THE best.
Excitement about the house! What a fun time!
Hahahaha! Yes. Please. Can you do that?
A panini press at school…? You’d better not be joking. I already have a small blender stealthily hidden there, so we could whip up some “Nuevo Cubano” sandwiches in no time at all. Seriously. It’d be great.
WHAT?! Why do I not know about this?
p.s. I detest tomatoes and mushrooms, but could live almost solely off of good bread, cheese and avocados.
Oh my goodness…no wonder you are giddy!! I totally understand everything. There is nothing quite like the first day of school. No matter what level you teach, there are always those newbies who need assistance finding their way – kindergarteners, first year middle schoolers, high school freshmen (although they are most reluctant to admit it!).
Also, I’ve got vacations planned out for months as well. We just came back from one at the beach, head to Nashville (via a day on the Blue Ridge Parkway) in October to visit our younger son and daughter-in-law, Georgia for Christmas, and I get to go to Florida with my sister in February!
And then the AVOCADO. PANINI. Nuff said.
How fun! I’ve always wanted to go to Georgia.
And I almost forgot….house hunting!!! The thrill of finding ‘the one’! Prayers for things to work out for the best.
Lindsay, your house-hunting news is SO exciting!! I have all of my fingers and toes crossed for you that everything works out! And I think that 5-year-old kids wearing backpacks is basically the cutest thing ever. Especially when they have ginormous matching lunch boxes too!
I can totally picture you eating this panini in North Carolina on the beach with a Nicholas Sparks book in hand. After reading almost every book he’s ever written (at least the ones at the library), I definitely want to go there too!
This sandwich rocks my world!! Keeping my fingers crossed on your new house!! So exciting!
Thanks Gaby!
The excitement of buying a house is a thrill, indeed! Best of luck with that, and keep in mind, if one door closes, another great door on another even better house will open.
I am a veggie nut and avocado is right up there. I could live on this sandwich and my cells would rejoice too!
Agreed! Thanks Lori!
OOooo do share the exciting life details!! This panini looks amazing. Actually, you could put avocado on anything and it would look amazingly delicious š
I went to Washington, DC a few weeks ago and we visited the Holocaust Museum. It’s incredible (although words can’t really describe it). It’s a beautiful tribute and I think everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime!
Have fun on all your upcoming adventures– school, trips, AND house buying.
Exactly. I read a book this summer that made me think: you must find a way to honor those whose lives were affected by this. I feel like to say I’m excited to go there is not quite right, because it’s so much more than that. But it’s an experience that I’m really looking forward to in a significant kind of a way.